Guccio Gucci opened his first shop in Florence in 1921, selling luggage and saddlery. He soon expanded, with the help of his sons, around Italy and, in 1953, in the United States. Gucci products soon became a symbol of elegance and class worn by Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Maria Callas, and the Duchess of Windsor. The 1950s and 60s brought such Gucci classics as the bag with the bamboo handle and the moccasin with the metal bit. The 1970s saw rapid expansion around the world, including shops in Tokyo and Hong Kong. More recently, Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole have transformed the company into a global player in international fashion, offering their clients perfume, watches, jewelry, not to mention their famous luggage and clothing.
